Ensuring adequate intake of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) during the first 1000 days of life – the period from conception to the age of two years – is critical, as it is a period of rapid growth and brain development. The body’s requirements of key micronutrients increase markedly during this period but are often not met in low- and middle-income countries due to poor quality diets (e.g. lack of dietary diversity) or poor micronutrient absorption. Micronutrient deficiencies during the first 1000 days of life are associated with premature birth, low birth weight, stunting and impairments in brain development, with potential long-term health effects. In South Africa, an estimated 15% of infants are born with low birth weight and 27% of children under five years are stunted, a prevalence rate that has remained unchanged for almost 20 years.